In London’s largest regeneration area, a new project is set to harness waste heat from data centres to deliver low-cost, low-carbon heat at scale.
As part of its goal to become a net zero carbon city by 2030, the Mayor of London has identified district heat networks as critical infrastructure for cutting emissions at scale.
In West London, this ambition is taking shape through the Old Oak and Park Royal Energy Network (OPEN) – an innovative district heat project led by the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).
The network will capture waste heat from nearby data centres and supply low-carbon heat to up to 10,000 new homes, a hospital and existing buildings via several kilometres of underground pipes.
At the heart of the system is a new energy centre, where heat pumps will raise the temperature of low-grade waste heat before distributing it across the network. The project takes advantage of a rare alignment of high-density development and large local heat sources – creating the ideal conditions for a scalable, area-wide heat network.
As one of a new generation of heat networks to take waste heat from data centres at scale, OPEN will recover 17 megawatts (MW) of waste heat from two new data centre sites, with potential to connect additional centres. Spanning five phases between 2028 and 2040, the network will eventually deliver up to 95 gigawatt hours (GWh) of heat per year – the equivalent of boiling one billion kettles.
We’ve supported OPDC from the outset to ensure it is both practical to build and affordable to deliver – from feasibility and energy strategy through to detailed modelling, business case development and procurement support.
In November 2023, our work helped OPDC secure £36 million from the government’s Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF), enabling the project to progress into the commercialisation phase.
Turning waste heat from data centres into a local resource
OPDC was established in 2015 by the Mayor of London to secure the regeneration of the Old Oak Opportunity Area, which spans three London boroughs: Ealing, Brent and Hammersmith & Fulham. The regeneration has been catalysed by the new rail interchange at Old Oak, which will link HS2, Crossrail and the London Underground.
Delivering the infrastructure needed to support a low-carbon, mixed-use development at this scale is a complex task. Space constraints, high environmental standards, and the need to futureproof essential systems are all significant challenges to overcome.
At the same time, there has been a wave of planning applications for new data centres in the area – energy-intensive facilities that generate a continuous supply of waste heat.
By turning this waste heat into a local energy source, OPEN will cut reliance on emission-heavy gas boilers, protect residents from energy price volatility, and support the delivery of low-carbon homes and infrastructure as part of the area’s wider regeneration.
Furthermore, this process supports circular economy principles – capturing heat that would otherwise be wasted and using it to meet local demand – while helping the UK tech sector grow in a way that’s cleaner, more efficient, and better connected to the communities around it.
Supporting the UK’s heat network zoning strategy
OPEN is one of the first projects in London to support the country’s emerging heat network zoning strategy – a new national approach to identifying where heat networks are expected to be the most cost-effective way of decarbonising heat.
Alongside this work, we also advised the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on the design and implementation of the national heat network zoning operating model – helping shape how heat networks like OPEN will be planned and delivered across the UK.
OPEN also acts as a testbed for future delivery. By exploring the integration of waste heat from data centres into local networks, the project supports wider efforts by the Mayor of London and UK Government to standardise, scale and accelerate the rollout of low-carbon heat infrastructure.
OPEN provides a scalable model for how cities can design and deliver low-carbon energy infrastructure, while providing real value for the communities they serve.
Our role: advising on delivery from day one
Our team has been instrumental in guiding this project from concept through to commercialisation, acting as a project developer as well as technical and strategic advisor.
In the early stages, we carried out feasibility studies and heat mapping to assess the potential of a district heat network powered by waste heat from data centres.
Our specialists used energy modelling to replicate and forecast the future performance of the network – helping to inform system design, financial planning and long-term viability.
We also contributed to the development of the strategic and outline business cases, which were critical in securing internal approvals and the £36 million in funding from the GHNF.
A single, integrated advisory team
Developing infrastructure that will feed into a multi-phase development is complicated and requires a good understanding of both the infrastructure and the nature of development. Our specialist team provided the benefit of our experience to OPDC, enabling the project to be approved and progressed.
A key part of our role was acting as an integrator – bringing together technical, commercial, financial and legal specialists into a single, coordinated advisory team.
We worked closely with OPDC’s legal and procurement partners to shape the delivery model, support dialogue with bidders and conduct the technical evaluation. Our team also advised on key delivery challenges, including rail crossings, the best location for the energy centre, and managing the interface with future data centres.
Drawing on our multidisciplinary expertise – including energy systems, infrastructure planning and building engineering – we helped OPDC manage complexity, resolve issues quickly and maintain momentum through each stage. This ranged from undertaking ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans across congested utility corridors, to providing due diligence on the procurement of a site for a future energy centre.
A model for future heat networks
As the UK prepares to roll out heat network zoning, OPEN provides a scalable model for how cities can design and deliver low-carbon energy infrastructure, while providing real value for the communities they serve. Alongside other key projects such as the South Westminster Area Network (SWAN), it demonstrates how heat network zoning can be implemented in complex urban areas.
While still in development, OPEN is already being recognised as an exemplar project – and is regularly cited in industry forums as a leading example of how low-carbon heat can be delivered through collaboration, innovation and joined-up planning.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the new communities emerging within the OPDC area to lead the way in how our cities can operate more sustainably, by using the waste heat sourced from data centres,” said Jo Streeten, Managing Director of Buildings + Places (Europe and India) at AECOM.
“An enormous amount of stakeholder collaboration and technical expertise has gone into getting us to this point, but we now have a blueprint for an innovative ambient heat network which we hope will provide a template for future developments.”